The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
by AcidRain1698
Summary: Christmas is just around the corner! Some Nalu fluff for the holidays, updated daily for the whole month of December! Happy holidays every one! Day 7: Cold, in which Lucy cannot sleep because of the lack of a certain warmth.
1. Ice Skating

**Author's Note: hey, everyone! I've never done one of these daily prompt challenges before, but I've wanted to give it a shot for a really long time. I see all these challenges on Tumblr and they always sound like so much fun, but for some reason, I never end up doing them. But I decided to give this one a try, because I love winter, I love Christmas, so the prompts seemed like something I could do and have fun doing it. Since we're already several days into December, I'm just going to post the first three chapters today and then post a new chapter every day for the rest of the month. I'm really excited! Hopefully this will get me out of the rut I'm currently in with "Ardor." It's been a while since I've even worked on it, which makes me sad. I am going to finish it, don't worry, just most likely not in a timely matter. *nervous laugh***

 **I don't have a specific word goal in mind, but I'm going to try and keep these chapters short and drabble-esque, around 1,000 words each. I also wanted to do a fun interactive thing with this one. Every chapter, I'll ask you guys a question at the end, something that has to do with the prompt, and you guys can give me answers in the reviews! Sounds fun, right? Each chapter is going to be in the cannonverse, just to let you guys know.**

 **Here's to getting my creative juices flowing, and to a wonderful December. Let's finish this shit-storm of a year on a high note, yes? Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Day I - Ice Skating

Lucy stared at the rink with trepidation. She'd never done this before. She really didn't want to fall in front of so many people, but she knew it was inevitable. She knew no one would laugh at her or make fun of her for doing so, but still. She didn't need to be laughed at to get embarrassed.

She almost didn't even agree to this. She can't ice skate, at all! She tried a few times when she was little, but she was never able to pick it up. But this is what her friends wanted to do, so she would at least try. She didn't want to be a party pooper and sit off to the side for the whole outing.

She jumped when she felt a hand gently clap onto her shoulder, turning to look at the owner of that hand. She was greeted with Natsu's bright grin, the sight allowing her to relax some.

"Hiya, Luce!" he chirped, his eyes beaming with glee. "You ready to go?"

"Um," she drawled, swallowing nervously as she stole a glance back at the rink. She was about to back out, but felt her heart give a pang when she saw their friends on ice, Erza leisurely gliding across the rink when her hands clasped behind her back, Gray standing behind Wendy with her hands being held in his, giving her support while she awkwardly shuffled forward. The young girl slipped, but Gray caught her before she could fall, and Lucy could see her smile and offer her thanks while he just grinned in response.

Lucy wasn't the only one who didn't know how to ice skate. She didn't need to feel so self-conscious that she couldn't hang out with her beloved friends. So she nodded resolutely in response to Natsu's question, ignoring her trembling legs as she tried to take a step toward the rink.

"Yes, I'm ready," she declared, her ankle giving out a little bit when she took another step toward the ice, not used to standing in ice skates. She wobbled, her arms stretching out to try and regain her balance. Natsu stepped up, gently grabbing her sides to steady her. She held onto his arms, taking a deep breath. "I-I think."

"You sure?" he offered, his brows furrowed with concern. "You're shaking."

She waved him off, trying to harden her posture as she leaned against the railing next to the rink's entrance. "I'm just nervous. I don't want to fall." She craned her head to look at him when she heard a soft chuckle, preparing herself to yell at him for laughing at her. But she stopped when she noticed the look on his face, filled with his trademark warmth.

"You won't fall," he assured her, stepping in front of her whilst he grabbed her hand, giving her a gentle tug. "Not on my watch." Lucy gulped, not moving from her spot by the railing. She anxiously looked down at his feet, seeing that he was standing firmly on the ice, sturdy as ever. Her eyes flickered back to his, seeing an amused grin dancing on his lips. He gave her hand another gentle tug. "C'mon. I gotcha." Swallowing down the mass that formed in her throat, the stellar mage waddled closer to the ice, one hand planted on the railing while the other one gripped Natsu's for dear life. She carefully stepped onto the ice, feeling the difference in texture instantaneously. Her nerves skyrocketing to new levels of anxiety, she took a long, deep, cleansing breath before putting her other foot onto the ice as well.

"There you go," said Natsu's encouraging voice, and she barely registered that he was now reaching for the hand she kept on the railing, trying to uncoil her fingers. "Let go of the rail, Luce."

"I ca-can't," she stammered, keeping her fingers clamped tightly.

He scoffed. "You don't need it. You got me. Now let go." After a brief debate with herself if she should do as he said or not, she decided that he was right.

She could trust him to keep her from falling. He's proven that time and time again, after all.

Finally letting her fingers unfurl, she sighed in content as the cold metal was replaced with her partner's warm hand instead. She felt her cheeks heat up in a flush as she looked up at him, seeing his sweet, iconic grin as he stood in front of her, both of her hands in his.

"Now we're off," he hummed, gently pushing backwards and bringing her along with him. She squeaked and tightened her grip on his hands, her body going rigid. She glared as best she could when she heard a laugh from Happy as he passed them, wearing skates of his own. He glided down the ice with ease, his wings out to help him keep his balance.

"Lucy, you look like a statue!" he sang teasingly.

"I'm scared, okay?" Lucy snapped, shouting at him as he got farther away from them. She narrowed her eyes when his tail flicked at her like some sort of taunt, extending his wings as he jumped into the air and spun a couple times before landing back on the ice like a feather. She scoffed. "You little cheater!"

Natsu laughed, giving her hands a tug to get her attention. "Hey." She huffed as she turned her gaze to his. Seeing her distress, he softened his features with a warm smile. "Don't be scared. I told ya, you're not gonna fall. I promise I won't let you. You need to relax, okay? You're thinking about it too much." Lucy sighed, closing her eyes to take a breath. She opened her eyes after she exhaled, letting her body relax. "There you go." He pushed back once more, coaxing her to follow him. She wobbled a little bit, biting her lip as she tried to focus. After a couple laps around the rink, she seemed to be getting the hang of it. So Natsu allowed a playful smirk, carefully withdrawing his hands.

"I'm letting go, now," he sang, pulling his hands away from hers.

"Wait!" Lucy cried, reaching for his hands. "I'm not ready!" Her arms flailed around for a moment as she attempted to get her balance back on track. She succeeded in steadying herself, breathing heavily. Natsu chuckled.

"You got it, Luce!" he cheered, holding his hands out to her. "Now come to me." Lucy gulped, hesitantly pushing herself toward him. She staggered, but stayed upright. She beamed, getting ready to celebrate her victory before she hit a nook in the ice, throwing her off. Natsu reacted immediately, reaching out and catching her before she could hit the ice. She clutched onto his jacket for dear life, pouting cutely when she heard him chuckle. She smacked his chest.

"Why'd you let me go, you jerk?" she huffed, her cheeks puffing out. "I wasn't ready!"

"It looked like you were getting the hang of it!" Natsu defended, still laughing. She smacked him again. "Hey, I caught you, didn't I? Like I said I would."

"Whatever," she griped, ignoring the blush as she continued to hold onto him for support. His chest rumbled with a few more chuckles as he put his arms around her, rubbing her back.

"Don't be discouraged, Lucy," Gray chimed in as he passed them with Wendy. Lucy blinked and turned to look at them, giggling when she saw the younger wizard was now sitting on his shoulders. He gave her a friendly grin. "You're doing a lot better than Natsu did the first time he tried. He ate shit ten times by this point."

"Shut up, frostbite!" Natsu snarled. "I can skate circles around you now!"

"Yeah, right," Gray scoffed, skating away from him with practiced ease. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, dragon breath."

* * *

 **Can any of you guys ice skate? I can't. I've never even tried, I don't think. Never had the opportunity. It looks like a bunch of fun, though, and I would totally love to try it one day.**

 **Tomorrow's Prompt: Scarf**


	2. Scarf

Day II - Scarf

It was a brisk evening.

Lucy had long since grown accustomed to the cold winters in Magnolia, but it wasn't often that it would get this cold this early. December was only beginning, and she felt like she was on the verge of hypothermia!

...Okay, so maybe she was being a tad dramatic. It was no secret that she had a low threshold for cold weather. She pulled her coat closer to her body, holding her hands up to her mouth and breathing hot air onto them, trying to warm them up. Curse her bad circulation. Her fingertips were like ice.

She was hardly even listening to the conversation between Natsu and Happy anymore, too preoccupied with how chilly the air was. She barely noticed Natsu when he called her name, turning her head to look up at him. She internally scoffed at his attire. Nothing on his body but his typical vest, baggy pants, sandals, and of course his signature scarf. She could almost see steam rising off of his skin because of his high body temperature, providing him with his immunity to the cold. She felt her eyes narrow in annoyance. She was over here freezing, and Natsu was practically half naked, without a care in the world.

 _So unfair._

"Hel-lo? Luce?" Natsu called, waving his hand in front of her face to get her attention. Her big brown eyes blinked a few times, snapping out of her daze and turning her focus onto him.

"Huh?" she uttered smartly.

Natsu quirked an eyebrow. "Did you even hear me?"

She blinked once more. "I don't think I did. Sorry."

The dragon slayer groaned in annoyance, but she knew he was just being overdramatic. "I said, we should take a job soon. Happy and I are running low on money–"

"Aye, sir!" Happy concurred.

"–since it's been so long since our last job. I'm getting restless." As an afterthought, he added, "and I think it should just be the three of us. The original Team Natsu. We haven't gone on a job without Wendy, Erza, and droopy eyes in far too long."

"Okay," Lucy agreed, nodding her head and looking straight ahead.

Natsu furrowed his brows, brushing his hand against her shoulder. "You okay?"

The blonde nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just–" She was cut off as a breeze swept by, causing her to hug herself and shiver. "I-I'm just cold," she finished, rubbing her arms.

"Really?" said Natsu, his eyes widening a fraction in surprise. "I barely feel anything."

"Well, duh, you're a fire wizard, Natsu," she reminded him, giving a roll of her eyes. "You have the privilege of not having to deal with the cold." She shivered once again, rubbing her hands together to try and get some heat flowing.

"I'm not that cold either," Happy mentioned, floating in between the two wizards. "You really have a crappy tolerance to the cold, Lucy."

"I know," the celestial mage groaned, tucking her hands under her arms. "It doesn't help that I have such bad circulation in my hands. My fingers feel like ice cubes." She turned her gaze to the boys. "I agree with taking a job soon. Maybe this weekend? I need money for Christmas pres– Natsu, what are you doing?"

"You said you were cold," Natsu answered simply, draping his scarf over her shoulders and wrapping it around her neck. Lucy felt warmth rush to her cheeks, using the scarf to try and hide her blush from his piercing eyes.

"You don't have to do that," she mumbled, just loud enough for his sharp ears to hear her.

He grinned. "I want to."

Her blush darkened a couple shades, spreading over her nose and to her ears. She buried her face deeper into his scarf, reveling in the fresh warmth emanating off of it. It smelled like him, like campfire smoke. She inhaled deeply through her nose, taking in the heavenly scent. She sighed softly, her lips curling up into a small smile, one that disappeared immediately when she heard Happy get close to her ear.

"He liiiiikes you," he sang, giving her a small, playful nudge. Lucy blushed so hard she could've sworn there was steam coming off her face as she lifted a hand to swat at the feline. Happy only laughed and returned to having a conversation with his dragon slayer companion, Lucy staying silent for the rest of the walk to her apartment.

She turned to face him once they stopped in front of her apartment. "Thank you," she murmured, avoiding looking him in the eyes. "For walking me home, and for letting me borrow your scarf." She caught his radiant grin, the sight causing her heart to palpitate.

"No problem, Luce!" he said, his fangs poking his bottom lip as he smiled. Lucy offered him a meek smile in return, lifting her hand to start unwinding his scarf from her neck, but he stopped her. "Don't. Keep it for tonight."

Lucy blinked. "Eh? Really?"

He grinned. "Really. I don't want ya to be cold." He ignored the faint blush on his cheeks, clearing his throat as he scratched the back of his neck. "Besides, I trust you with it." Lucy stared at him, her heart pounding out of control. He was really… letting her keep his scarf for the night? She was honored, knowing how special this scarf was to him. Feeling her eyes prick with some tears, she hugged him before he could've had a chance to see how much his gesture affected her.

"I'll take good care of it," she vowed into his chest. Natsu swallowed, hesitantly hugging her back, his own cheeks starting to heat up.

"I-I know you will."

Before she could stop herself, she pulled away from the hug and stood on her toes, planting a soft, warm kiss to his cheek, stunning him. She let herself linger for a moment or two before stepping away from him. "Goodnight," she all but whispered, too embarrassed to wait around for him to reply. She turned on her heel and walked up the steps to her apartment, stopping for a moment when she heard his voice from behind her.

"G'night."

Lucy turned to look at him over her shoulder, her gaze connecting with his. She offered him a soft smile, to which he returned with his own, before she stepped into the building. As she closed the door, she heard an exchange of words that made her giggle while her heart soared.

"You liiiiiiike her."

"Zip it, Happy."

* * *

 **Time for a poll. Do you guys prefer to wear scarves for fashion or function? Meaning, do you wear them because they're cute, or because your neck is cold and your scarf keeps it warm? I prefer function. I hate having anything touch my neck, so I try to keep my scarf usage to a minimum. :D**

 **Tomorrow's Prompt: Frost**


	3. Frost

Day III - Frost

Lucy loved waking up during the winter. She loved to look outside and see the snow that had fallen overnight, and she especially loved to wake up to a frosted window.

She didn't know what it was, but she just adored how the frost looked as it stuck to the window like blood vessels, as if the window had become a living being through the night, and now had ice flowing through its veins. It was so… surreal, in her mind. So poetic.

So beautiful.

She spent almost half an hour laying in bed one morning, just admiring the look of frozen water against glass. The sight soothed her, brought her tranquility. It always had, and she didn't know the reason behind it. Despite how much she wanted to just lay there and watch the frost gradually melt away under the sun, she had to get up. Today was a special day, in fact. The night before, Natsu had asked her to go get some breakfast with him. Was it a date? She wasn't entirely sure. It felt like a date, but neither of them had actually used the term.

She was hopeful, though.

The young celestial mage began her morning routine, taking a quick shower, brushing her teeth, doing her hair – that last one being slightly more important that morning than every other morning that came before it. She felt her nerves bustling inside her body, her stomach fluttering with more butterflies than she ever thought was possible. She was so excited for today, more than eager to just head out the door and go meet up with Natsu, her best friend, for their first date(?).

She would be sure to ask him if that's what this was once she saw him.

Her heart giving a trill of adrenaline once she finished getting ready and left her apartment. A shiver wracked her spine once the cool air hit her body. She instinctively burrowed herself deeper into her coat before starting toward the cafe they decided to meet up at. Her blood was pumping gallons by the minute, hearing it rush wildly in her ears. She tried to ignore her nerves as she walked through the town of Magnolia, her boots clacking against the cobblestone streets. She smiled at the street vendors who were already busy with multiple customers, waving to the occasional pedestrian who recognized her from either her being a member of Fairy Tail, or her book that had come out earlier that year.

Lucy loved this town and its people so much. Everything about Magnolia felt like home, and she couldn't imagine living anywhere else but here.

Lucy felt her heart accelerate when her eyes found her destination: Cafe Sakura, a restaurant that had opened recently and neither Lucy nor Natsu had been to yet. Her heart accelerated faster still when she saw Natsu standing out front, waiting for her. He straightened up when his gaze landed on her, a smile curling onto his lips. She smiled back in return, quickening her stride as she approached him.

"Good morning," she greeted, clutching her purse.

"Mornin'," he answered, his eyes practically shining. "You ready to check this place out?"

"Totally ready," she assured him with a soft giggle. "Levy tried this place the other day, said they have really good food."

"Sweet. Let's go, then!" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside, the contact causing her to blush. She smiled to herself, shuffling closer to him as they followed the hostess to a table.

"So how's your morning so far?" she inquired once they sat down.

"It's good," he answered, chuckling lightly. "Really had to bribe Happy to not come with me, though. He's been dying to try out this place too."

She giggled. "Why did you have to bribe him to stay home?"

"Well, I didn't want him to be a third wheel on our date, so…" He trailed off with a nonchalant shrug. Lucy's cheeks were swept up in a red hue, a lump forming in her throat. She swallowed it down, shyly tucking her hair behind her ear.

"S-So… this _is_ a date?" she stammered, having trouble with holding eye contact with him. Natsu lifted an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah?" he answered, his response sounding more like a question than a statement. "What did you think it was?"

Lucy felt her blush darken a couple shades, feeling silly for being unsure about the situation. "I don't know. It's just… you didn't actually use the word 'date,' so I guess I just…" She sighed and shook her head, her blonde hair swaying with the movement. "I don't know. I was just overthinking it because I was nervous."

He blinked. "Oh." He let her words process in his mind for a couple breaths before chuckling. "I guess I was kinda vague when I asked you out, wasn't I?" They both shared a laugh. He reached over and touched her hand, causing a fresh blush to coat her cheeks. "You know I'm not very good with words, or…" He paused to gesture around them, " _this_ , in general. But I'll try to be better with it, okay?"

Her lips quirked up into a grin. "Okay." She allowed a small giggle. "I'll try not to overthink things so much." He chuckled, and before either one of them knew it, they fell into a comfortable conversation like they always do. It was so easy for them to be together, for them to just hang out with just themselves. The fact that they were on a date did little to change the atmosphere between them.

They were comfortable together.

Like it was meant to be.

While they were eating their breakfast, Lucy happened to glance to her side. Her eyes widened when she saw the window across from them, frosted over like the one in her bedroom had been when she woke up that morning. Except… she could've sworn the frost had formed in the shape of a heart, encasing her reflection in one side, and Natsu's in the other. Her cheeks warmed and her heart skipped a beat, biting her lip to try and suppress a smile.

Natsu noticed.

"Whatcha smiling like that for?" he asked, his own curious grin playing on his face. Lucy took another glance at the window before shaking her head, extending her leg a bit under the table so that it gently nudged his.

"Nothing. Just a feeling."

* * *

"Do you think they saw it?" Happy inquired as he and the rest of Team Natsu – save for Natsu and Lucy – walked away from Cafe Sakura.

"Pfft, are you kidding me?" Gray snorted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Lucy definitely saw it. Didn't you see the look on her face?"

"That's true," Happy supposed, his paws coming up to hide a mischievous grin. "That was so unlike you, Gray. Using your magic to meddle in their relationship."

Gray scoffed. "Tch. I just want them to stop making googly-eyes at each other from across the guild with no follow through. It's getting kinda sad. I was just trying to… give them a push into accepting their feelings."

"Like you have any room to talk about 'accepting their feelings', Gray-san," Wendy pointed out with a giggle. "How long did it take for you to accept your feelings for Juvia-san?"

"Indeed," Erza agreed with a serene smirk.

"Leave me alone."

* * *

 **Word association game time! What's the first memory that comes to mind when think about frost? I think about walking to school when I was a child, when the grass would crunch because of the frost.  
**

 **Tomorrow's Prompt: Family**


	4. Family

Day IV - Family

Lucy missed her mother every single day. It'd been many years since Layla passed away, leaving a gaping hole in her chest for the longest time, a hole that ripped open more and more with every passing day she went neglected or ignored by her father. She grew up with such bitter resentment toward her father, until about a year after she joined Fairy Tail, when the two of them finally made amends. But before she could even allow her relationship with him to mend completely, even prosper, he was taken away from her as well, during a time when she couldn't even see or talk to him beforehand.

The world was just so unfair.

She knew she had her friends at the guild, and they did well to heal the pain she carried in her heart every day. But they could only do so much. There were many times, to this day, that Lucy felt completely, utterly alone. Especially during the holidays.

When she was a young girl, when her mother was alive, the Heartfilia Estate was always filled with such joy near the holidays. Lucy longed for some of Layla's homemade candies, or a brand new sweater she used to knit for her every year, or her signature shortbread. Her soul yearned for it. She tried her best every year to make the same chocolates and caramels for her friends, but despite all of their praise and comments saying that she made the best caramel they'd ever tasted, she never thought they were good enough. Not like the ones Layla used to make.

Nevertheless, she worked hard on the batch of caramel she was currently working on. Gray's birthday was today, and he opted out of having a big party at the guild, deciding he just wanted to hang with his closest friends for the night. Which, for some reason, meant the whole team was going to be coming by her apartment in a couple hours to have his party. She never really understood why her tiny apartment was their team's "chill out" location by default, but it stopped surprising her over the years. It wasn't that she didn't like their company, but she would like to have a party at someone else's place for a change.

A fact that went ignored by the rest of the team.

"Hey, Luce!"

Lucy jumped at the sudden voice, whirling around in her kitchen to see Natsu climbing in through the window, Happy right on his tail. She groaned in annoyance, an action that countered the grin on her face. "Dammit, Natsu," she scolded. "How many times do I have to tell you to use the door?"

"Come on, Luce," he laughed, giving a dismissive wave of his hand. "You know I stopped caring about that years ago." Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes, turning back to the hardened caramel sitting on her counter. She had made the sweet treat the day before, but it needed to be chilled before she could cut it into pieces. Grabbing a knife from the counter, she started to carefully cut into the candy, feeling her heart swell with satisfaction at how smoothly the blade went through it. It was just solid enough to have resistance, but soft enough that it would just melt away while eating it.

Perfect.

Lucy barely registered Happy landing on her shoulder to observe her task. "Whatcha doing?" he chimed, watching her curiously.

"Cutting the caramel into pieces. I want to have it ready before anyone gets here. Well, anyone else." She shot an accusing glare at Natsu. "You weren't supposed to be here early."

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu mumbled idly, reaching for a freshly cut piece of caramel. But he stopped when Lucy held up the knife, the light reflecting off the blade in just the perfect way to intimidate him, particularly when she turned her fierce, coffee brown gaze to his, her eyes narrowed with an unspoken threat. He chuckled weakly. "Off limits?" She didn't answer, only narrowing her eyes a fraction more. The dragon slayer took that as an affirmative and retreated, taking a step back but still standing close enough to her that she could feel his body heat radiating off his skin.

Ignoring the pleasant warmth coming from her partner, as well as Happy's snicker, she turned back to the task at hand, wrapping each individual piece in decorative wax paper. She saved the last piece for herself, taking a bite out of it to make sure it tasted good. It did, but…

It still didn't taste like her mother's.

She couldn't hold back the sad sigh, catching Natsu's attention like a fish on a wire. "Luce?" he called softly, gently touching his hand to her back, a little lower than he usually did, but she didn't mind. They had been on a few dates, after all. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she answered with another sigh, placing the pieces of caramel into a decorative bowl. "I'm fine. It's just, I tend to miss my mom a lot more this time of year. My dad, too." Natsu felt a frown tugging on his lips. He glanced at Happy, who looked back at him with a similar expression. Neither of them knowing what to say, they stayed silent, Lucy taking the opportunity to continue, sniffling as her eyes started to shine with unshed tears. "I just miss the things we used to do when they were both around, you know? I miss having a family."

"What're you talking about?" Natsu questioned, aghast, his eyes wide. "You do have a family. You have me, and Happy, Erza, Wendy, even that ice princess."

"Aye," Happy concurred with a resolute nod, nuzzling Lucy's cheek. The girl managed a soft laugh, making them both grin.

"You probably shouldn't call him that on his birthday," she advised, wiping away a tear that had started to trail down her cheek.

Natsu scoffed. "I'll call whatever I want, whenever I want to, and he can't do a damn thing to stop me." He smiled warmly and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "I get that you miss your parents. I miss Igneel all the time. But don't you ever think that you don't have a family." He gently tapped her chin, guiding her face to look at him. "You have a family in Fairy Tail, and that will never stop being true." Lucy sniffled, her lip quivering as she hugged him tightly, feeling herself just about melt into his arms when he returned the embrace. She extended her arm to include Happy, bringing him to her chest without moving away from Natsu.

"Thanks, you guys," she whispered.

"No problem, Luce."

"Aye!"

Lucy smiled against Natsu's shoulder, tightening her grasp on the two of them. Natsu was right. Fairy Tail was her family, a family that she had been blessed with since the very beginning. They had her back, and she had theirs, and there wasn't a damn thing that was going to drag her away from them, or in vice versa. She didn't get mad or annoyed at all that night, not once, not with a single one of them. Not when Natsu and Gray started to fight in her living room, or when Erza tried to suggest they play that evil stick game again like they had before a few Christmases ago, or when Juvia got so drunk she just about flooded her apartment.

Not once did she get mad.

Because these goofballs, as destructive as they were, they were her family.

She loved every single one of them to death, and nothing could ever change that.

* * *

 **What are some things that you do with your family during the holidays? We don't necessarily have any traditions outside of actual Christmas day, but my sister and I bake. Like,** ** _a lot._** **Holiday treats are the best treats!**

 **Tomorrow's Prompt: Blizzard**


	5. Blizzard

Day V - Blizzard

"We just had to cut through Mount Hakobe, didn't we?" Lucy griped, shouting over the howling wind at her rosy-haired companion in front of her. They were on their way back home from a job, and Natsu, unwilling to take a carriage home, suggested they take a shortcut through the unruly Mount Hakobe so that they could get home sooner. However, something he failed to think about was the fact that Mount Hakobe – known for its crazy snowy weather, even during the summer – was twice as worse in the winter. They were currently caught in a blizzard so dense they could barely see two feet in front of them. The wind bit at their skin ferociously as it came from every direction, inches of snow collecting on the ground by the minute. Happy had long retreated into the blanket on Natsu's back, Lucy staggered along behind the dragon slayer, each gust of wind threatening to knock her over, one of her hands clasped tightly in his so that they didn't lose each other.

"I'll admit," Natsu shouted back, his free arm being held up in front of his eyes to block the snow from his eyes, although it did little to keep his vision clear. He glanced over his shoulder at her as he continued, "this wasn't my best idea!"

"You think?!" Using the hand that wasn't encased in his, Lucy pulled her coat tighter on herself, her body shaking with uncontrollable shivers. Her hair was damp from the snow, and she could feel bits of it start to freeze. Natsu didn't seem to be fazed, naturally, but she and Happy, on the other hand, needed to find shelter immediately. "Do you even know where we're going?! Because I got lost about two hours ago!"

"I'm looking for a cave or something!" He squeezed her hand. "I know you guys are freezing!"

"We better find one soon!" Happy yelled, trying to curl up closer to Natsu's warmth. "I can't feel my tail anymore!"

"Hang in there, you guys!"

Lucy groaned, shuddering violently. She weakly squeezed Natsu's hand back, but she didn't have very much feeling in her fingers at the moment. She hung her head as they trudged through the snow, trying to keep her face out of the wind. It felt like they had been walking for an eternity when she felt her partner suddenly tug on her hand, making her squeak as she almost fell forward. She stumbled when he picked up his pace, her legs numb as she tried to keep up.

"Natsu!" she called, almost tripping over her own feet. "What's your deal all of a sudden?!"

"I found shelter!"

Lucy perked up at his words, finding the energy and strength to match his stride whilst they approached a cliffside. There was, in fact, a large alcove in the face of the rock. The celestial mage just about collapsed once they crossed the threshold, crawling deeper into the cave while relief washed over her.

"Thank Mavis," she muttered, lifting her head to look around. "This isn't the never-ending cave we stumbled into before, right? We're not going to end up lost for three days again?"

"No, it's not," Natsu chuckled, holding up his flaming hand to light up the rest of the cave, letting them see that there was a wall on the other side. He breathed in a couple times through his nose, smelling the area as he scanned it with his sharp eyes. "By the look and smell of this place, I'd say it was an old mountain wyvern nest." Lucy stiffened and squeaked, frantically looking around for signs of danger. He chuckled again. "Luce, relax. I said it's probably an _old_ nest. A wyvern hasn't been here in weeks." The blonde visibly relaxed, releasing a relieved exhale as she leaned up against a wall, hugging herself and shivering. Natsu frowned, gathering up some old leaves and twigs from the wyvern's nest, setting it ablaze in front of Lucy.

He shrugged the bag off his shoulders, gently removing Happy from the blanket and setting him in Lucy's lap instead, wrapping the blanket over the both of them. He sat beside Lucy and pulled her into his side, rubbing her arm to try and get some heat flowing. She sighed at the incoming warmth, snuggling closer into her partner's side and cradling Happy to her chest, wanting to keep him warm as well. They sat in silence, the only sounds being the crackling of Natsu's makeshift fire and the wind howling outside.

"I'm sorry for dragging you guys out here," Natsu murmured, bringing her in closer. "If I'd known the weather was gonna be this bad, I woulda just–"

"I know," Lucy interrupted him, her eyes drifting closed. The drainage of her energy was getting to her, finally being somewhere safe and warm was making her fall asleep. "How… how long do you think we're going to be stuck here?"

"Mm," he hummed, glancing to the entrance of the cave to watch the raging blizzard for a moment or two. "It's hard to say. A few hours, a day at most." He looked down at her and chuckled softly. "At least we've got food and a way out this time, right?" She giggled tiredly, while Happy scoffed lightly.

"No kidding," he grumbled with a smile. Natsu laughed, idly rubbing Lucy's arm. He glanced at her, his heart giving a particularly hard thump at the sight of her looking so peaceful, on the verge of falling asleep on his chest. His cheeks warmed with a blush, lifting his other hand to gently brush her damp hair away from her face. He placed a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Get some rest, Luce," he suggested, grinning when he realized he didn't need to tell her. She was already on her way to doing just that. He leaned his head back against the wall, watching the fire dance and play. He chuckled once, memories of the last time he, Lucy, and Happy were stuck in a cave on Mount Hakobe flooding into his mind. At least they weren't going to be starving or sleep deprived this time around. This cave, with the fire burning in front of him instead of on his hand for hours on end, Lucy snuggled against his side, and the surprisingly calming sound of the blizzard raging on outside, this experience was a lot more peaceful than the last one.

He could get used to Lucy cuddling him like this.

* * *

 **Story time! Any of you guys been caught in a blizzard? My parents had to drive in one the day before Christmas nine years ago, for several hours, to bring home our new puppy, a puppy that still lives with us today!**

 **Tomorrow's Prompt: Candy Canes**


	6. Candy Cane

Day VI - Candy Cane

The guild was bustling with more vigor than normal as everyone decorated the hall for Christmas. Everyone had their own jobs to help with the decorating, no one was excluded from the experience. Natsu and Lucy, for example, were in charge of decorating the massive tree that stood proudly in the center of the main hall, a job that Lucy had no qualms with what so ever. She usually didn't have enough money to spend on her own Christmas tree, one that she could put up in her apartment, so she lived for being able to put up the guild's tree.

It was one of her favorite things to do during the holidays.

She was currently on a ladder, halfway up the tree, hanging cute candy canes over the branches. The idea she had in her head was to wrap the candy canes all around the tree, reminiscent of a ribbon of peppermint, starting from the base of the tree, all the way to the top, giving the tree a long, red stripe. Much like the red stripes on the candy canes themselves! Natsu was down below, manning the ladder and moving it whenever she told him too. Which, in hindsight, didn't seem like the best plan, Lucy was quickly coming to realize.

Natsu, with his attention span as short as ever, got distracted very easily, and she was required to shout at him whenever he failed to realize that she had told him to move. She would groan and tell him that it wasn't that hard to pay attention to their task, but to him, it was, in fact, rather difficult to concentrate, especially from his point of view. Little did Lucy know, from his position, and with her on top of the ladder, he had a perfect view of up under her skirt.

The dragon slayer shook his head when he heard her yelling at him once again to move the ladder, averting his eyes as he did as told, ignoring the distinct pink hue on his cheeks. He didn't mean to stare as much as he was. In the past, he wouldn't only take a glance once, holding it for as long as it took for her to realize he was looking up her skirt, because he loved how cute she was when she was embarrassed. For him, it wasn't that big a deal. He's seen her in a bikini countless times, her underwear wasn't all that different to him. But now… the circumstances have changed.

He was dating her now, meaning that he was allowed to look and admire. Wasn't he? It wasn't like he was being too obviously about it or anything, just getting a few good glances every now and then. There was nothing wrong with that now that she was his girlfriend.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Lucy's voice again, getting ready to move the ladder, but stopped when he noticed she wasn't talking to him this time.

"Happy!" she called, sitting down on another step of the ladder, blocking Natsu's view. He felt a nerve pinch, making his eye twitch. Damn it. She held her hand out toward the blue feline, her palm open. "I'm out of candy canes. Could you bring me some more, please?"

"Aye!" Happy said, flying toward the bar to ask for more candy canes from Mirajane. He flew back up to her with a big bag of them, hovering alongside her so that she could just reach into the bag to grab as much as she needed. He looked down when he saw Natsu perk up at seeing Lucy stand up, his gaze refocusing up her skirt. The Exceed snickered, catching Lucy's attention.

"What're you tittering about?" she inquired with amusement, grinning as she took a step higher on the ladder, continuing to hang the peppermint treats.

"Nothing," he answered, his eyes alight with mischief. Lucy quirked an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything further on the matter.

* * *

"You've been staring up Lucy's skirt all night," Happy mumbled to Natsu as they left the guild for the night, everybody worn out from the hours of decorating. The two of them were standing by the front doors, waiting for Lucy to finish her part with cleaning up so that she could join them.

"You noticed?" Natsu said back, not bothered at all that he'd been caught.

"It was kinda hard not to," Happy giggled. "I haven't seen you concentrate so hard on something in a long time."

Natsu chuckled, swatting lightheartedly at his companion. "Shuddap. I'm allowed to do that now. I'm dating her, remember?"

"Riiight." He gave Natsu a quick nuzzle before taking off into the air. Natsu blinked and watched him go.

"Where ya going?"

Happy smiled at him. "I'm gonna hang out with Wendy tonight. With the way you were eyeballing Lucy's panties all night, I think it's safer if I give you two some privacy." He laughed and waved before flying in the direction of Fairy Hills. Natsu watched him go, rolling his eyes with a light scoff.

"Just 'cause I was looking at them doesn't mean I'm planning on jumping her," he pouted, folding his arms across his chest.

"Natsu!" The said dragon slayer turned to look at Lucy as she approached him, her lips pulled back in a wide grin. "Sorry that took so long. Ready to head home?"

He grinned. "Yeah. Let's go." He grabbed her hand without even thinking about it, starting to walk toward her apartment.

When they got to their destination, Lucy said she was going to take a shower. She walked to her dressed and bent over, ruffling through her clothes to find something more comfortable to change into. Natsu stared, taking in the view. His eyes widened when he saw her skirt was riding up a little bit. He tilted his head to get a better look, a grin playing on his lips when he saw the pattern on her underwear.

Red and white stripes, like a candy cane.

"Peppermint panties," he mused, not realizing he was speaking out loud. "How festive." Lucy's face dove into a deep red, whirling around as she held her skirt down.

"Natsu!" she just about screeched, stunning him. She grabbed a pair of socks and threw them at him. He merely laughed, ducking to avoid the socks.

"I couldn't tell what color they were. I've been trying to figure it out all night."

She scoffed and chucked another pair of socks at him, trying to fight the smile that was spreading over her face. "You're such a pervert!"

* * *

 **What are some of your favorite peppermint treats? I love anything peppermint. I made these peppermint brownies last month, and they are now my favorite holiday treat ever. *drools***

 **Also, can you guys tell I'm not used to writing drabbles? *nervous laughter* I get so self-conscious when I try to have stories be short like this. If you have any tips, please feel free to give me some advice!  
**

 **Tomorrow's Prompt: Cold**


	7. Cold

Day VII - Cold

Lucy felt another shiver wrack her spine as she laid in bed, resulting in a whine as she curled into a tighter ball under the covers. It was in the middle of the night, with a blizzard raging on outside. Her bed was positioned right beneath her window, which meant she was pretty much as close as she could get to the cold without actually being outside, not to mention her fireplace was broken and couldn't be lit until she got it fixed. It'd been broken since Gray's birthday party at her apartment, resulting in the drunken brawl that Gray himself and Natsu had gotten into. She didn't mind that much when it happened, nor had she minded for the last few days, but now that it was below freezing outside and the snow didn't seem like it was going to stop any time soon, she really could've benefited from having a fire warm up the place.

Peeking over the blanket, she glanced at the fireplace, sighing heavily, almost longingly.

She would have Natsu fix it tomorrow morning, since he was the one who broke it in the first place.

Closing her tired eyes, she brought her hands up to her face, breathing hot air onto them to try and get some heat flowing in her fingertips. When it didn't work, she released her zillionth sigh of the night. Deciding she wasn't going to get to sleep if she didn't warm up soon, she begrudgingly crawled out of bed to make some tea, regretting her decision to do so instantaneously. The air was _much_ colder outside of her covers, causing goosebumps to erupt down the lengths of her arms. Her teeth chattering, she made quick work toward her dresser, pulling out a sweater and some thicker sweatpants. She put on the articles of clothing, before grabbing two pairs of socks, putting them over the pair she was already wearing.

Something caught her gaze whilst she closed the drawer to her dresser, spotting a familiar white scarf folded neatly on top of her desk. Natsu had made a habit of leaving it in her care since the first time he lent it to her. Her heart panged when she remembered his words when he let her keep it for another night.

 _It'll keep ya warm. You need it more than I do._

A smile graced her features, her feet carrying her to the scarf on their own. She gingerly picked it up and unfolded it, wrapping it around her neck. Burying her face into the warmth it immediately provided, she took a long, deep inhale through her nose, her smile broadening.

It smelled like him.

Remembering why she got out of bed in the first place, Lucy trudged into her kitchen and grabbed her teakettle from the cupboard, filling it up with water before putting it on the stove. Relief flooded her system as the fire heated up not only the water, but her body as well. She extended her hands and held them out over the fire, her fingertips tingling pleasantly as warmth coated her skin. It was nothing compared to the warmth that Natsu offered, but it would do for now.

While she waited for the water to start boiling, she neglected to hear the footsteps approaching behind her until she felt two large, warm hands on her sides. Her heart leapt into her throat as she jumped, instinctively whirling around to swat at whoever had snuck up behind her. Her hand was caught in someone else's, and her ears were met with soft chuckles.

"Whoa, relax, Luce," he said, his green eyes gleaming in amusement. "It's just me."

 _Speak of the Devil..._

"Natsu!" Lucy chastised, smacking his chest a few times. "You stupid jerk! Don't sneak up on me like that in the middle of the night! You really freaked me out!"

Natsu laughed, not at her, but how cute her face was when it was all flushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I thought you would've heard me coming." Lucy huffed, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance. He softened his features, kissing her forehead. "Sorry, Luce."

She sighed and turned back to her teapot as it started to squeal, grabbing an oven mitt and lifting it away from the fire. "It's fine." Natsu grinned and hugged her from behind, watching over her shoulder as she poured herself a glass of water before putting in a teabag.

"Whatcha doing out of bed?" he inquired, nuzzling her affectionately. Finally starting to relax from her little jumpscare, Lucy smiled a bit at the gesture, humming softly while she took a sip of her tea.

"I was too cold," she answered simply. She glanced at him over her shoulder, moving her hips back to playfully bump him. "What're _you_ doing out of bed?"

"Couldn't sleep," he murmured. "Happy spent the night at Wendy's, and I was starting to feel lonely. Thought I'd drop in here."

"And scare me?"

"That was an accident, and I apologized, so…" He finished his comment by blowing a raspberry. Lucy giggled and rolled her eyes, taking another gulp of her tea, sighing at how it was warming up her body from the inside out. She also felt much warmer with Natsu embracing her the way he was. "You said you were cold?"

"Yeah," she said with an affirmative nod. "Since someone broke my fireplace, I don't have any way to stay warm when there's a blizzard going on outside."

"That was Gray's fault! He pushed me!"

"But it was your fat butt that broke it!"

"Oi," he grumbled, his voice deeper than usual, sending a different kind of chill down Lucy's spine. "My butt is anything but fat. Every inch of my body is muscle, as you know."

She giggled. "Right. Of course." Natsu chuckled as well, kissing her temple and waiting for her to put her empty cup in the sink before giving her a gentle tug.

"Let's go to bed." Lucy didn't need to be told twice, letting him guide her toward the bed. He grinned once he took notice of what she was wearing. "That looks good on you."

Lucy lifted an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side. "What does?"

"My scarf," he replied, plopping onto the bed. Lucy's cheeks dusted with red, a small smile curling onto her lips.

"Thank you. I like how it looks on you better, though."

Her only response from him was a tired hum, his eyes already closed and ready for sleep. Lucy grinned and took off her top layer of clothes, knowing she wouldn't need them to keep warm anymore. She crawled into bed beside her dragon slayer and laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight."

Natsu grunted, his arm reaching around her back and pulling her closer. "G'night."

Lucy smiled and closed her eyes, snuggling into his chest. Her body relaxed as his steady, even breaths along with the rhythmic beating of his heart started to lull her into the blissful darkness of sleep. His warmth captivated her, making the cold melt away.

* * *

 **Author's Note: hey, guys! Again, sorry for being late. Now that stuff has finally calmed down in my household, I've finally had time to work on my writing again. And I've had fresh bouts of inspiration, so my goal for January is to update each of my ongoing stories. That's right. A chapter for this one, a chapter for "Eyes Wide Open," a chapter for "Things Change," and a chapter for "Ardor" (finally!) Hopefully I can achieve this goal, because I really want to get back on track with my writing, with "Ardor" in particular, since it's been quite a long time since I last updated. And I'm sure everyone would benefit from that.**

 **Anyway, Happy New Year, guys! How's January 2018 going for you guys? And, considering what this prompt was about, how cold does it get in the winter where you guys live? Since I'm in southern California, it doesn't get extremely cold. The lowest it typically gets during the night is in the 50s.**

 **Next Prompt: Hot Chocolate**


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